It is common in diagnostic laboratories to utilize automated clinical analyzers for simultaneously or serially analyzing body fluid samples. It is common for such analyzers to include rotatable carrousels for receiving a plurality of reagent cartridges from which different reagents are aspirated and dispensed during the operation of such clinical analyzers.
Representative of such reagent cartridges is the reagent cartridge described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,970,053 and 5,075,082, which are incorporated herein by reference.
The reagent cartridge described and illustrated in the foregoing patents is wedged shape and includes a plurality of storage compartments. The cartridge includes wall members and connecting members formed integrally with the storage compartments for holding the storage compartments in a fixed relationship with respect to each other while separating the wall members from each other to prevent reagent migration between adjacent reagent compartments. Each reagent storage compartment includes an access opening with a neck formed about the opening and including a collar adapted to accommodate an automatically controlled reagent transfer probe. The reagent cartridge is adapted to be inserted into slots formed in a rotatable carousel of the automated analyzer, the slots together with the collars forming a positioning and detent mechanism for removeably securing the cartridge in the slot of the carousel.
Such reagent cartridges are relatively complex and expensive in structure and manufacture. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved reagent cartridge which does not incorporate the complex and structurally expensive wedge shaped multi-compartment features of the prior reagent cartridge. The present invention satisfies such a need.